Porters Neck Country Club, Wilmington, N.C., announces that its championship golf course reopened Aug. 2 after undergoing a large-scale renovation project. The course was originally designed by the legendary course architect Tom Fazio, and the Fazio Group returned to oversee the renovation.
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Closed since December 2005, the course and club have undergone $1.2 million in improvements. Today club members gathered to celebrate the reopening with representatives from the Fazio Group.
Renovation of the 18-hole course focused on the refurbishment of the turf and bunkers with the overall layout of the course and its holes remaining the same. More than 2,100 tons of sand over 4 million pounds - were added to enhance the bunkers. Three acres of new greens were laid on the fairways. The new grass, A-1 Bent grass, is more heat tolerant and denser than other sods to create a smoother putting surface.
"With a designer like Fazio, you¹re always going to have a great playing course," says Doug Lewis, Porters Neck Country Club golf course superintendent. "We simply made some adjustments to the turf and the bunkers that brought the course up to its full potential."
Porters Neck Country Club is one of only two Fazio courses in the area. While not favoring a specific style, Fazio courses are renowned for offering a challenging course to players without sacrificing accessibility. Golf Digest listed 14 of his courses among the top in the country.
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Cart paths and drainage systems throughout the 120-acre course received extensive repairs, and more than one acre of lake banks were re-graded and improved. In addition to the improvements to the course, the size of the driving range doubled, from a half-acre to a full acre of tee surface.
"The course reopening is another exciting milestone in the life of our club," says Richard Ferguson, president of the board of trustees. "We recently added 80 new members, and these renovations to the club and course will enhance the impeccable experience our members and guests have on the course."
The club also recently became more accessible to parts of Wilmington with the opening of I-140. The road links North Carolina 133 (Castle Hayne Road) to I-40 and exits at Porters Neck Road.
Established in 1991, Porters Neck Country Club is located at 8403 Vintage Club Drive in Porters Neck Plantation in Wilmington, N.C. The private equity membership club features an 18-hole championship golf course, sports facility, and 15,000-square-foot clubhouse. Memberships are available. For more information, visit www.portersneckcountryclub.com or call the Membership Director at 910-686-8180.